Uni Freshers 2016 (second thread)

[soapybox]

A new thread!

Nice to hear news. My DS also seems to be enjoying his grad job. Fingers crossed going forward.

Lovely to hear how everyone is getting on. Ds1 is enjoying his final year (integrated Masters) and has begun applying for PhDs.

Wow, a student forever! Clever boy, though.

I’ve got DS1 home for Christmas for the first time since 1st Sept. It’s lovely having him home. He’s really happy in his job and can see himself staying with the company for quite a few years. He also is really liking Manchester.

Most of his friends are doing integrated masters and he’s a bit envious. He did enjoy the student life! But he’s saying his company may well sponsor him to do a software related part time masters in a few years. He’s enjoying having some money, too.

DS1’s graduation today. He missed the summer one.

Such a proud moment!! Well done

Thank you Sunndowne it was lovely!

Well Done to him!

May I ask what you wore?! graduation coming up in May ...........

It being January, a posh coat! The dress under didn’t really get a look in. I’d say go a bit weddingy but not too formal. They are supposed to wear lounge suits (for the boys) or smart dress for the girls. There were quite a few who didn’t, including some very short dresses! DS had no idea what a lounge suit was.

Congratulations to him MillicentMartha

Thanks Raspberry. You’ll get 2 if he does a PhD!

Congratulations to your DS MillicentMartha
I hope you had a fabulous day.
DD1 has started a graduate scheme and everything is going okay so far. DD2 is definitely ready to finish university - she is finding the 4th year a year too much! She has a job offer for September and is looking forward to moving on. Although she has messaged today to say she is going on the university ski trip so I don’t think she is that fed up 😉

How are those with DC still at uni doing?

Like many DS1 will have no face to face teaching now (after 4 weeks of strikes). His supervisor is still willing to meet him next week. He has booked Graduation tickets this week for July, but he said today there is already talk of it being postponed!

On a happier note he has his PhD confirmed.

My DS is in his final year as had a year out. All lectures etc went online from Monday, so he is back home.

He has no idea what form finals will take, but works hard so should be OK anyway and has realised he has lots of time now home with nothing else to do!

Graduation was mid July, but they announced at start of week that summer ceremonies were cancelled, so I guess it will be winter now. I think they have to make the decision sooner rather than later, to save people making hotel plans. We are only an hour away, but he has friends whose parents have booked Non refundable hotels. They are hoping to move bookings as far as possible into future.

I just feel very sad that his uni experience has almost certainly finished as a fizzle, rather than the euphoria of leaving the last exam and celebrating with friends.

His year out was in a niche part of aviation, and he was planning on applying there for a particular training scheme and maybe grad schemes, but that is very uncertain now!

He is hoping to travel too, if this Virus ever goes away, so may just defer applications for a year or so.

DD is coming home later today. I agree Sophie a very flat end to their degree. It is weird that 4 years of studying will be finishing with a very quiet fizzle rather than the partying expected. DD hasn’t been able to finish her project as the labs are now shut. She still has her project report/dissertation to complete and another assignment outstanding. And then exams will be online and open book. I assume graduation will either be postponed or cancelled. DD is more upset that her planned summer of travelling is looking very unlikely and is still hoping she has a job to go to in September.

Hope all our DCs are keeping fit and healthy which is the main thing..... and of course everyone else.

Both my DC arrived home today. DS1 still waiting to find out how his finals will look, exams, presentation and viva. His garduation hasn't yet been postponed but I supect its only time.

DD was in her second year in Scotland, one essay to hand in next week and she is done, exams cancelled. Lovely to have them both home but all a bit flat! DD has given notice on her flat along with her flatmates.

DS2 was meant to be staying with her next week for an activity in her uni city. Its all very surreal.

DS2 was meant to be doing AS Further Maths in May, so I think he will get an assessed Grade, fingers crossed his mock went well this week!

Stay safe everyone.

Exams online for DS - like the idea of open book hellsbells.

He is currently jobless after completing one day before the shop closed so is waiting to see if he will be paid.

Trying to be positive but even though I thought failing the final year might have given the kick up the behind he needed I am a hideous feeling it hasn't

Look after yourselves

I did a mad dash yesterday afternoon and picked DS1 up to bring him home in time for lockdown. He’s working from home. I’m so glad to have him home. He’s less pleased at the prospect! Feel lucky he finished last year.

All his Warwick mates were still living there until recently but have all gone home now. They don’t really know how their degrees will be awarded but there will be ‘no face to face assessments’ and they are looking into alternative methods, apparently.

Good luck to all your DC. I also have DS3 who is now not doing A levels and unsure what grades he will be awarded and DS2 trying to complete his HND from home. Unfortunately he needs lots of support to manage his ASD. Anxious times.

DS had email this morning saying his finals are cancelled - they will be assessed on existing assignments for this semester‘s modules, plus project, then obviously previous marks taken into account (Xmas exams/first semester assignments, year 2, YII for him).

So whilst he still has plenty to do, there will be no revision, and none of the stress of exams. It feels a weird way to finish, and will maybe benefit those that wouldn’t have revised much, he was already well on track for a first, so hopefully should get it now.

Not terrible news, at least, Sophiesdog.

DS1 has gone back to Manchester. He was home here for a few days but wanted to get back to his flat and all his stuff.

Goodness Sophiesdog must feel really strange.

All the communication DS1 has had says that all his exams etc will go ahead, exams on the same dates. Just the how to be explained. He also has a viva and a presentation online at some point. And a poster to make. He is very busy finishing his dissertation and revising.

Hope everyone is staying safe and well.

DS says that some of his Uni friends doing final year on other courses are still having exams at the moment, so it doesn’t seem to be all courses at his uni, which doesn’t seem right!

He too has an online presentation to do.

He said that the email was long and complicated, but the gist of it was that, as long as they pass all the remaining assignments, they will be deemed to have passed the course, and 2 marks will be calculated for this years work, one prior to shutdown and one for remaining work.

I read on another thread, someone saying that their DC’s final exams would not reduce the overall grade below that which they had been working at prior to shutdown, but it could increase it. Ie if they had been working at 2.1 level, final exams could pull them up to first, but if they didn’t do well, wouldn’t reduce degree to a 2.2

I suspect that will be similar in DS case, in terms of looking at pre shutdown and post shutdown marks, and other marks that count towards degree.

It's a shame all the unis couldn't have agreed a plan of action together.

Hope it all works out for everyone.

DS1's graduation is now postponed, unsurprisingly. He is lucky though, DD's uni is cancelling them!

Also all final year exams are now cancelled as far as possible, DS1 still waiting to see what it means for him as his Masters course has to fulfil certain criteria from an outside body, so he tells me! He still has his dissertation to crack on with for now. They have also told all students they will automatically be given mitigating circumstances.

Rotten end to their university life. It’s amazing to think at DS1’s graduation in January I’d only just heard of the coronavirus. Horrific effect it’s having on the whole world. I hope you all stay safe.